Potion Master's Plight
by tt22123
Summary: Snape is ill and can only be saved by a family member which he does not have. A mystery person comes forward and winds up saving his life. Who will that person end up being? Our favourite Saviour and the killer of HWMNBN. Severitus Story. Unfortunetely I do not own Harry Potter nor the characters within. Will continue if wanted...
1. Chapter 1

"I am sure you all have noticed the absence of our esteemed potions master and it is now that I reveal to you why. Professor Snape came in contact with an artifact that causes the person to deteriorate rapidly and fatally. He is currently in the care of our own mediwitch in the infirmary and there is a cure but one that will not work for everyone. It is not looking good for our professor at the moment but I ask you all to hope for a breakthrough." Harry felt his stomach do a little flip and decided that after the meal he would go to the headmasters' office to ask about the man.

"Sir?"

"Yes my dear boy?"

"This artifact Professor Snape's fighting against, what does it do?"

"There is no artifact. He was discovered as my spy so he was trying to brew a potion to remove the dark mark from his arm. Unfortunately the potion started attacking him as the mark has been a part of him for so long."

"What's the cure?"

"There isn't one when it comes to Severus my boy."

"What would it be?"

"Why are you so interested, I thought you hated him?"

"Doesn't mean I want him to die sir."

"You're a good man Harry. We need a family member so that the potion would be able to differentiate between Severus and the Mark, alas, he has no living family so all we can do is stop it hurting him."

"Okay then. Thank you sir." Harry stood from where he was sat opposite the man and began walking towards the door to his office.

"Is that all then Harry?"

"Yes. Thank you for telling me." After bidding one another goodbye Harry walked out of the office and slowly down towards the infirmary, unaware of how late it was and curfew having already been with it being earlier because of Sirius Black on the loose. As he opened the doors the mediwitch came running from her office having been alerted to someone entering the room.

"Oh Harry, what have you done this time?"

"Nothing."

"Well then you should be in your dormitory."

"Yes I should ma'am. What do you need to help Snape? I mean, I know that you need a family member but what do you need?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to help."

"How?"

"Keep it a secret?" The woman nodded solemnly. "He's my father, I've known since I was 9 that he was my father, not that I met him until first year. My mum nor I have ever told anyone so there is no reason that anyone else would know."

"Are you serious? If not, he will die."

"He's dying anyway isn't he? The worst you can do is try and cut his misery short, otherwise you've saved him."

"You want this kept a secret? He knows that it has to be family, he told us that, he will surely ask when he wakes up."

"You can tell him that I helped but that is it. If he wants to know anymore he has to ask me himself. No one else needs telling though. What do you need?"

"You'll have to stay here the night, and I'll need to take some blood periodically to give him. He should be awake by morning if not fully recovered. He may see you if you are still here though."

"He's going to find out it was me anyway, it will just mean that you may have an angry potions master on your hands if I leave the room."

"I can deal with him if that happens. Come along young man, we've got your father to save." Harry swallowed harshly before nodding and following the woman over to the curtained off section of the infirmary. He paused when he saw the man on the bed looking even thinner than before with his skin a near deathly white as he took rough, shaking breaths occasionally. Madame Pomfrey noticed the change in the teen and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder where he froze at the end of the bed.

"It'll be alright Mr Potter."

"Yeah. Come on then, stick your needles in me and steal my blood." Harry sat in the plush chair next to the man's bed and held out his left arm while pulling his sleeve above his elbow.

"It's normally taken through cutting a finger but I can use a needle if you prefer?"

"Oh, finger's fine." Harry pushed his sleeve back down and offered the woman his hand, hissing slightly as she pulled a scalpel across his fingertip." He watched avidly as the blood welled to the surface quickly before flowing into the small crucible she held beneath the cut to collect the red liquid as it fell.

"Want me to put a spell on it to keep it open but it won't bleed, it will save me having to reopen it every time?"

"Whatever would be best Madame." The woman nodded while drawing her wand to place the spell onto Harry's finger, figuring that the teen would be having a tough enough time that night without having to have the cut remade each time.

"Very well, you may use the next bed if you wish to Mr Potter."

"I'm alright here thank you." The plump mediwitch was about to argue until she noticed how the teen looked towards the man he was there to save and relented. She wasn't going to make the boy leave his father who only revealed that fact because the man is dying. After injecting Harry's blood into Snape, once she ensured they would not fight each other's blood type, she noticed the teen's eyes closing so she summoned a warm blanket and wrapped it around Harry's shoulders.

"You're in for a disturbed night's sleep Harry. I'll need more blood each hour." Harry hummed in acknowledgment as she walked back through the curtains and away from sight. He sat there for a couple of minutes before pulling his chair nearer to the bed while resting his forehead against the mattress. That was the position that the mediwitch found him back in each time she came for the first several hours. It was not until she came to take some blood for the sixth time that she noticed Harry gripping Severus' hand tight in his sleep. By the eighth blood draw Harry was awake completely once more but still took up the cold hand in his own as some of the colour returned to the man's face, not that she ever commented on this development. "It definitely seems to be working, I was wrong to doubt what you were saying earlier it seems. Thank you for coming forward Mr Potter."

"Do you think I will be?"

"Will be what?"

"A Potter."

"I don't know, I'm sorry. He always wanted a child but was terrified of being like his own father. Whether or not he would accept having a child now I can't say. That is something you would have to ask him."

"I don't think he'd want me. That's why I've never told him about our relationship." Harry began tearing up but he wiped his eyes viciously and forced a smile as he looked at the woman. "I couldn't not come forward, whether he likes it or not he is my father and I couldn't let him die when there is a chance that I could have saved him."

"Honourable. He should be proud of you Harry." At these words the smile became genuine towards the woman but dropped slowly as he looked back towards the bed in front of them. "Only 5 more draws to go. At this rate I think he may wake up after 4 so you may have to stay for an hour of him being awake."

"Very well Madame. Seems he will find out my involvement quicker than I'd wanted. What do I say to him?"

"What do you want to say to him?"

"I don't know. I can't very well sit there and say 'hi dad'. He'll want to know more and I don't know what I'd say."

"You could just say that. I'd certainly pay to see his reaction." Harry chuckled quietly but it wasn't filled with glee but rather trepidation.

The man woke up earlier than either of them had thought to except and Harry was startled out of his thoughts by the man sneering his name before drinking some of the water that Harry silently offered him.

"What are YOU doing here?" he snarled just as Madame Pomfrey walked in and saw the dejection in the teen's eyes at how the man reacted.

"Time for your next blood draw Mr- oh Severus, you're awake, and terrorising young Mr Potter already I see." It was only at that comment that he looked at the boy and saw how his words seemed to have hurt the teen but he didn't understand why. Once the blood had been drawn Harry walked out through the curtains and sat on the bed opposite, out of sight of the others as Madame Pomfrey gave Severus the blood.

"Why are you giving me HIS blood Poppy?"

"You told us yourself that you need family connection to save you. Figure it out yourself Severus. That poor boy has been sat next to you for the last 10 hours, fretting over how you'd react to him while giving you his blood and hoping you'd wake up. Granted he was hoping to be gone before you woke up so that you wouldn't react exactly as you just did. I'm glad you're awake Severus, truly I am, but next time you might want to show some gratitude to the person who was willing to save you no matter what it took." Poppy walked away without another word and went to find Harry in the other section of the infirmary. "I thought you'd left." She stated quietly as she rubbed gentle circles on his back and offered a tissue to wipe away the silent tears.

"Still have blood to give him. Guess I was right, he hates me."

"It doesn't matter what he thinks, you're a good man."

"It does though. He knew we must be related for him to be better and he still hates me. Even if he doesn't realise he's my father and just believes us to be some distant cousin or something he still hates me and I'm the only living family he has. I was stupid for ever considering the possibility that he might have cared about me on some level. I'm going to go for a walk, I'll be back in time for the next draw Madame." She was reluctant to but she let the boy go off before returning to see if there was anything that Severus needed.

"Are you hungry or thirsty or anything Professor Snape?"

"Is Mr Potter alright?"

"That doesn't seem to be your concern right now. Nor is it what I asked you."

"He and I are related? How?"

"Yes, and that is something that he wanted to tell you himself. Although I'm definite he doesn't want to see you at the moment."

"Is he still here, can you ask him?"

"He is not, he will be returning to give up some more blood to save your life."

"When he does can you ask him if he will come see me?"

"I'll ask. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm okay thank you Poppy." An hour later Poppy returned and answered Snape's question before he could ask it.

"He didn't want to see you. I can try again when he comes back for the final lot of blood. You may not realise this but it really does matter to him what you think."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not me you should apologise to."

"I know, but he won't speak to me. Tell him I'm sorry?"

"Will do. He managed to heal you quicker than we thought, you should be able to make it to the feast tonight. I've let the headmaster know that there has been a breakthrough but you are not to have visitors until Lunchtime at least so I'd assume him to be here then."

"The faster you heal, the closer the familial connection. At this speed he has to be immediate family. I know he can't be my brother, it is impossible for him to be my father, that only leaves the one option Poppy."

"Well then start treating him better. You've known this connection for an hour, he's known of it for 4 years but the only you that he has ever known, is one that belittles him."

"4 years? And he never said anything?"

"I'm not meant to be telling you any of this. He only revealed it now because you were dying. How did you treat him in your first lesson?"

"Not well."

"So he has a father who hates him even though he doesn't know him. Is it any surprise that he didn't tell you? You know what it feels like to have a father who hates you, better it was a stranger instead, surely? As long as you didn't know who he was to you he could possibly imagine that it wasn't his dad who hated him. You woke up and must have realised that your only surviving family was him and still you sneered at him like he was filth. He's 13, Severus he's still a child, forgive him for acting like one."

"What do I say to him?"

"That's the exact same thing that he asked me about you, and I'll ask you the same thing I did him. What do you want to say to him?"

"That I'm a shit father."

"Perhaps you don't start with that." The two lapsed into silence as Snape slipped back into his thoughts, not even registering the mediwitch leaving nor her return bringing the next bit of blood. He didn't even notice her injecting the final lot of blood but he did register her leaving and the curtains parting as a tear-stained Harry walked in, refusing to look up at the man, focusing on the floor instead.

"You asked to speak to me sir?" Harry whispered in a meek voice.

"Yes." The two lapsed into an awkward silence as neither knew what to say. Snape slowly pushed himself up the bed so that he was no longer led down fully but sitting up more, and slightly off to one side. "Come here." Harry timidly stepped nearer to the man but still did not take his eyes off his shoes. "Thank you," Snape whispered as he reached out and gripped Harry's hand. This action finally got the boy to look up at him in surprise.

"You're welcome sir."

"I know the truth Harry."

"What- what truth sir?"

"I wouldn't have regained my strength this quickly unless you were my close family, leaving only one possible answer. Hello."

"Oh, that truth." Harry dropped his eyes once more as he pulled his hand back and crossed his arms tightly around his stomach.

"Sit down," Snape stated firmly as he patted the bed next to him, waiting for the boy to do as he said before he continued. "How did you know it would work? That we were related."

"Mum wrote a journal for me. Didn't really understand most of it because it spoke about magic and I was never allowed to use that word so I obviously couldn't ask about it. I understood one sentence well enough though, telling me that she wanted me to know that I may think I had no parents but that my real father was alive, and what his name was. I only knew who this mysterious 'Severus Snape' was when I came to Hogwarts, I got to meet the man I used to pray would come and save me from my family and he HATED me. So I never told you, and when I would feel particularly bad after a lesson or a detention with you, I would read the journal when she'd tell me that she knew my father would love me. I was almost able to believe it until the next time that I saw you and I'd be reminded of the truth."

"I'm sorry. I understand why you wouldn't want to tell me."

"I don't care."

"I guess that's understandable too. Thank you for saving me then. We don't have to talk of this again."

"Oh. Okay," Harry whispered as his eyes once again filled with tears, turning away from the man on who's bed he was sat. "I'll just go then. I'm glad you're alright sir."

"Wait, what's wrong?" Snape put a hand on Harry's arm to try and get him to stay. He shook his head quickly so Severus forced himself up fully to pull Harry round to face him and into a hug. "What's wrong?"

"You don't want me," Harry whispered into Severus' shoulder.

"What!? I- you said- I DO want you. You said that you didn't care so I thought you didn't want anything between us."

"I didn't care about you saying sorry to me. I didn't- didn't want you to feel guilty for me never telling you, it was my fault you didn't know."

"I made you feel as though you COULDN'T tell me."

"Didn't matter to me. I used to try and find you when I was younger. Figured that your name was uncommon so I might be able to find you."

"And I could come and 'save you'?" Harry nodded but from his position Severus felt it rather than saw the action. "Not in the muggle world you wouldn't have."

"I know. One of my teachers helped me once, it was the only way I could try and find you. She came back and told me that there was no such man. I figured I lost my parents again when she told me that, then after the sorting ceremony Percy Weasley told me your name."

"Then I treated you like an arsehole."

"Pretty much." Severus swatted the back of Harry's head.

"Brat." Harry pulled back from the hug and smiled at the man. As the two lapsed back into silence Harry started playing with his hands in a sign of nervousness. "Why were you hoping to be saved?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Hey! I decide what's important when it comes to my son."

"Fine, but when you're healthy."

"I'm fine."

"I'll just go clarify that with Madame Pomfrey, shall I?"

"You'll be telling me once I'm released from her clutches then."

"Yes sir."

"Only in lessons."

"What?" Harry asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"If we both want this, you have got to stop calling me sir unless we're in lessons."

"What do I call you then?" Severus seemed to think for a few minutes before looking to Harry with a half-smile.

"I don't know." Harry chuckled at the man's response.

"Sev?"

"Sure. If that's what you want to use, if that's what you're comfortable with." Harry chewed the inside of his lip in embarrassment and nerves, an action that wasn't missed by the potions master as he looked at his son.

"Why do you hate me?"

"I don't. Not really. I had to pretend while I was still a death eater and I hated your father. Well, I hated James. I hated your father as well actually. I just took all that out on you to further my act."

"Did you succeed in removing the Mark before you- you started dying?"

"I don't actually know. I was preoccupied with the idea of NOT dying." Severus looked down at his left arm and the long sleeved shirt he was wearing, apprehensive of what he might find if he moved it. Harry could see his nervousness though so he took it out of the man's hands and pulled back the sleeve without looking, letting Snape see. "That'd be a no then." Harry finally looked down to check if the man was joking or not but found the black ink.

"What is the Dark Mark?"

"It's the sign all death eaters have that enables the Dark Lord to call us."

"No, I mean, what is it? A charm, spell, tattoo, potion? What?"

"It is a spell combined with a brand that the Dark Lord would mark us with if we reached his Inner Circle. He activates it when he wants to summon us and it'll burn to tell us that he's calling. Unfortunately I don't have to answer but he knows I won't suddenly appear before him so he uses it to torture me. Burning my arm past what he would for a summons."

"What would happen if you removed it?"

"It would never fully be gone. I would still have the brand, like a scar, but it would sever the connection to him so he couldn't use it against me."

"Isn't there some sort of counter-spell?"

"Yes, and we've tried, but it doesn't seem to work."

"Can you show me it?"

"What sort of father would I be getting you into the dark arts?"

"I don't know, never known what it's like to have a father before. I don't know what they act like."

"I have but I don't think mine is anything to aspire to be. Think how I feel though, you've never had a father so you don't know what to expect. I'm a father to a 13-year-old and I still don't know what I should expect."

"Yeah, I think you've got it worse. So, can I see?"

"Oh fine. Why the interest though?"

"Curiousity. Wishful thinking." Snape cocked a single brow at the boy. "I saved your life last night, I don't want you to have to spend it being tortured." Severus smiled at the boy.

"Don't you have lessons to go to?"

"Potions is cancelled but Madame Pomfrey banned me from other classes for the day. Something about blood loss and shock and an emotional night and my father being on his death bed a few hours ago. I don't understand it really but I'm not going to complain."

"I can accept her judgement there. I guess even if you've known about me for the last 4 years you've had quite the roller coaster in the last 12 hours."

"I've been giving you my blood for 12 hours, the roller coaster started about 15 hours ago when Professor Dumbledore told everyone of your plight, well somewhat anyway."

"Are you alright?"

"Sure, you?"

"Don't lie to me, no one could be fine after the night you've had."

"I- I'm confused. I'm scared. I'm thrilled. I'm nervous. I'm absolutely terrified. And I kinda want to throw up."

"That'll be the blood loss probably, have you told Madame Pomfrey?"

"I think it's more you actually. The combination of all the different things going through my head."

"Well I'm sorry I make you sick."

"Oh shut up."

"Excuse me, I'm your father show me some respect," Snape stated firmly adding worry to Harry's list of emotions until he noticed the man smiling at him. "Come on, explain to me. Why each of those things?"

"I'm confused because the man I've known is my father for 4 years now knows of me and I don't know how I'm meant to act with him. I'm nervous because I don't know how you're going to act with me. I'm thrilled because you were dying, and rapidly, now you aren't, you're alive still. I- I'm scared- I'm scared because-" Harry's brows furrowed as tears grew in his eyes and he lost all words from his mind prompting the man to pull him into a second hug.

"It's okay Harry, just breathe. Take a deep breath for me. Take your time, okay? You don't HAVE to tell me."

"I'm scared that you hate me. That the man I prayed would save me will just end up treating me the same as the people I wanted saving from. I'm scared that you'll be just like them and I don't actually think that I could take that. I'm scared Sev, and I don't know what to do, what you expect of me and from me and what I should expect from you."

"What I want from you is for you to be happy and to come live with me if you want, although that we will have to figure out slowly. It's okay to feel scared, even for a Gryffindor, and confused, and nervous, and everything else going on in that head of yours. Got that?"

"I'm not a true Gryffindor."

"Of course you are, that's where the hat placed you."

"Didn't want to though. He wanted to put me in Slytherin but I said no, ergo a lion, that is not brave at all when it comes to having a family or anyone who cares for him. What kind of Gryffindor would be scared of his family? I can tell you the answer, not a very good one. Hell, Neville's been dropped out of a window and off a pier yet he isn't scared of his family."

"Longbottom?" Harry nodded so Snape shook his head while rolling his eyes. "They always did behave strangely with one another. Although I'm must say, I'm much more interested in knowing why you said no to my house, considering you didn't know that I was your father yet. Although the sorting hat would have figured that out from your thoughts pretty quickly."

"Malfoy. I'd met him already. That put me off first but then everyone kept telling me that all Slytherin students were pure evil and I wanted to fit in."

"You don't need to be brave for me. I will always to my best to make sure that I never hurt you in any way."

"Thanks. Hard belief to break though. Or would it be a habit? Would you refer to the bravery, or lack of, as a habit or as an emotion or thought? I never really thought about that. Is brave what you are or what you do?"

"What's hard to break?"

"Being scared. Trying to be brave. Accepting that you won't hurt me."

"I know we haven't had the best relationship in the past but I wouldn't-"

"I know YOU think that. I've never had an adult care about me who didn't hurt me eventually though. Why are you any different?"

"Because I'm family, I'm your father."

"Vernon, Petunia and Dudley are family, didn't stop them. He was the closest I KNEW as a father for so long and it didn't stop him."

"I'll swear on my magic never to hit you or do anything of the sort to you?"

"I don't want that. I want you not to hate me and hurt me because of who you are, not because some vow is forcing you to act a certain way towards me. I want to trust you because you care for me, not because you care about losing your magic more than you care about me."

"Very well, no vow. Pure trust between father and son. This'll be a fun challenge for us both."


	2. Chapter 2

" _ **I'll swear on my magic never to hit you or do anything of the sort to you?"**_

" _ **I don't want that. I want you not to hate me and hurt me because of who you are, not because some vow is forcing you to act a certain way towards me. I want to trust you because you care for me, not because you care about losing your magic more than you care about me."**_

" _ **Very well, no vow. Pure trust between father and son. This'll be a fun challenge for us both."**_

"It'll be a challenge, whether or not it will be fun is still to be determined."

"You've been banned from classes for the day then, what were you planning on doing?"

"I don't know, can't exactly just be wandering round the castle. I was debating the tower or just hanging around here. I guess if Madam Pomfrey has stopped me from going I should probably stick in this general area in case a teacher comes questioning. Don't know what she'll want me to do though."

"Stay here, keep me company. It appears that everything I thought about you was wrong, and you know nothing about me, so perhaps we should rectify that while I'm stuck on bed rest." Harry span on the bed, drawing his legs up so he was sat sideways on the edge of the mattress facing the man.

"What do you want to know? Question for question?"

"Question for question?"

"You ask me one, I'll ask you one. You can pass on questions but then I get to ask a different one instead."

"Okay. Favourite colour?" Harry grinned at the man for the obvious first question.

"Green, like a Slytherin green, not a pale or dull one. Bright, and vibrant. You? Black doesn't count either, it's a shade, not a colour."

"Blue. Why green?"

"Freedom. It's like the green I imagine when I think of open fields and the sunlight shining through the leaves in a forest. Not the forbidden forest, a nice one. One that you can just keep walking through without anything trying to harm you. One you can escape into and find your own paths. Why blue?"

"Same reason as you, but for the ocean. You can go off in any direction you want and not spy another living soul for miles around you."

"Sounds lonely."

"Not necessarily. Tranquil is how I see it. No one around you to hurt you or to see your weaknesses. You say lonely, I say... safe, protected."

"So you see having people around you as being a bad thing?"

"I thought it was my turn to ask a question," he joked in an attempt to lighten the mood somewhat. "It is not a bad thing if they are a good person, I just haven't had many good people in my past. I don't like showing weakness to others, it gives them things to use against you, to hold over you, that was not something that I could afford to do, it is easier just to not let them close to you."

"Then I came along last night and ruined that." Harry dropped his head to look at his lap in shame as he realised that his coming forward was ruining Snape's way of life.

"Then you came along last night and CHANGED that, brought a good person into my life. Why do you think yourself worth so little?"

"Why do you think me worth so much? I only know what I've been told, what I've been taught, and that is that I- that I am a worthless freak, so why **would** you think me worth something?" Harry met the stare of the man in challenge, daring him to give a good answer to the question.

"Because I know you. I don't know much ABOUT you but I know the kind of person that you are, I know that you would risk your own life to save other's, that you are willing to sacrifice the secret you kept for four years to save the life of the man you thought hated you, that you are noble and, regrettably, self-sacrificing. I know that I want to hurt the people who ever made you feel as though you are worthless, the ones who told you that was the case. You aren't a freak." Harry looked up at Snape once more as though assessing the truth in his words, sending the man a half-smile after a few seconds.

"Your turn."

"Favourite food?"

"Treacle tart. You?"

"Pass, don't really have one."

"Birthday?"

"9th January." The two continued with asking one another questions for an hour or so, both keeping away from the worse subjects that Harry demanded they wait to talk about. "How are you?"

"Fine." Harry fought to contain a yawn but failed causing the man to chuckle quietly. "Tired apparently." Snape shifted over on the bed as far as he could and held an arm out to the side in offering.

"Come here," Harry's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the man but as another yawn forced its way out of his mouth he gave in and led down next to the man, head resting over Severus' heart while his arms were subtly shielding himself from the other, an action that the potion master noticed and felt dismayed by but didn't let it show. "Sweet dreams child."

"Night Sev," Harry whispered with a sleep filled voice. He was still asleep when Madam Pomfrey walked in through the curtains to check on them both and she smiled with pride at the man for clearly moving past who he thought the boy was.

"I expect you to look after him Severus. I don't want to see him in here anymore when he returns from school holidays."

"What do you mean?"

"I want him to be kept a healthy weight and not covered in injuries that need treating when he returns to school. The last two years I made him come see me every week until I deemed him a healthy weight as I thought he was doing it to himself on purpose, that he was anorexic or something even though he was only 11. This year was the first time that he told me the truth. As the school nurse I am only allowed to tell Dumbledore of the findings of the checkups although I feel you should know as he tends to keep his secrets closely guarded and as his father I have the right to reveal it to you. I will say this though, he didn't want anyone else to know about your relationship, originally that included you as well, but I would not push him to tell others until you have discussed that with him. Dumbledore just floo'd to say he will be down within the next 10 minutes or so, may I suggest that you are not cuddled with him then so his secrets stay that way." Severus made a move to hook his arms under Harry to move him but found his hands quickly being smacked away. "What do you think you're doing? You're on bed rest until dinner."

"Poppy I-"

"No. Stay. I shall move Mr Potter to another section of the infirmary and close the curtains around him so he isn't visible. He may return when the headmaster is gone or if he chooses to reveal himself, although I think that is a decision that would best be made by the two of you together." Poppy lifted Harry in her arms and walked off muttering how the child was still too light for a growing boy. It was barely 5 minutes later that Madam Pomfrey walked in within the headmaster, eyes twinkling as he did so.

"Ahh Severus, feeling better I hope."

"Much Headmaster."

"I told you to call me Albus."

"What do you want Albus?"

"I was just coming down to see how you are my boy, Poppy said you were better. I see our young Mr Potter did the trick."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I have a potions master who is dying without a family member and Mr Potter enquiring to that fact. Then the next day he is healed, I can only assume that there is a correlation there."

"It's a miracle," Snape stated drily as he watched the man with a level stare and a face devoid of all emotion.

"Miracle indeed my boy, I'm glad you're better Severus. Well I'll leave the two of you in peace," Albus chuckled as he walked away, blue eyes twinkling in full force. As soon as the doors shut he heaved a sigh and dropped his head into his hands, fingers threading into his hairline, as he let out a frustrated growl he felt a tentative hand on his back making him whip round to look at who was touching him, Harry stepping back in fear.

"What's wrong Sir?" Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy. "What's wrong... Sev?"

"I'm sorry, the headmaster knows." Harry's face became a clean slate, completely blank of any feelings or emotions.

"Oh. He was bound to find out sooner or later I guess."

"He didn't mention knowing what the connection was, but he certainly knows that there is one. I truly am sorry. Madam Pomfrey told me that you didn't want others to know. I should've known that the Headmaster would have pieced it all together."

"What-what did he say?" Harry started chewing on his lower lip nervously while looking down and picking at his fingernails.

"Not a lot. Just pointed out that he knew it would be you and that it's a miracle then he said he would leave us in peace."

"So, he doesn't- you know- mind?"

"Why would he mind? The other staff have had children come through the school. Mr Malfoy is my own Godson although I understand that isn't quite the same thing, but my point is, you aren't the first child that a staff member has brought through Hogwarts."

"You won't get in trouble then, for having me, for having taught me?"

"Don't be stupid." Harry flushed slightly in embarrassment as Snape reached out and pulled him towards the bed and into a awkwardly positioned hug. "I wouldn't get in trouble for having a son, even if I did- I wouldn't care. You know that right?" Harry took a couple of steps back from the man and continued to gnaw on his lip. "Come back, otherwise I will point out it is your fault when I break my bed rest to get you and Madame Pomfrey swoops in on me." Harry took a tiny step forward but nowhere near enough to appease the man as he moved the covers away and made the motion to stand when Harry quickly pushed him back down.

"I don't want you to be in trouble, not because of me," he whispered timidly while looking at the man through his bangs.

"And I promise you that I'm not. Want to go back to the questions?"

"Is that your question?"

"Is that yours?" The teen grinned as he moved to sit on the edge of the man's bed once more and continued their game of questions to learn more about one another. Madame Pompfrey occasionally came in to check on them both and bring them in some food as they did so.

"Mr Potter, you spend so much time here, I think it only fair to aid in your recovery," she stated as she handed over a large slice of treacle tart on one of her visits and another to the potions master, Harry grinning widely as he thanked her and dug in. "He never says no to treacle tart if he hasn't eaten enough," she told the older man.

"That surely is not healthy."

"Not really, but it is the only way I have managed to get this menace to take all of his potions, it is made with nutrient potions in specifically for him, the ones that I have you make to cater for an unknown pupil's specific needs at the start of each school year."

"I am still here you know."

"Do you deny that this is how I have to get you to take potions sometimes, when you are feeling too tired and ill to do so?"

"No."

"Even if eating the treacle tart will make you sick after being starved for nearly 2 months?"

"It doesn't since you started to include Stomach Settlers in them as well. Can you blame me for wanting to eat some of your delicious home cooking?"

"No need to be like that Mr Potter, you have already got your pudding." Harry smiled brightly at the woman who merely smiled back at him, the man watching the way the two of them interact with interest. As soon as both finished eating the woman took both of their plates and Harry pressed back into the man's side.

"Live with me?" the man asked suddenly once the mediwitch had left the two of them alone making Harry pull back in surprise and look at the man with furrowed brows.

"What?"

"I know that we have never really seen eye-to-eye, at all, but I'm willing to give it a chance if you are. Come live with me?" Harry led back down with his head on Snape's chest as he thought it through. Not seeing any real downside to the idea Harry nodded into the man's stomach, both smiling as he did. "Thank you child."

"My pleasure Sev, I look forward to it," the teen stated truthfully before a thought occurred that made him almost tremble in excitement for the possibility. "Can I have my own room?"

"Of course child. Where else would you sleep?"

"In the cupboard," Harry stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, and to him it was.

"No, I will never make you stay in a cupboard. We will go and find us a house that we both like, agreed?"

"You don't have to buy a house just because of me. I can go back to the Dursley's."

"Never going to happen child. I want to have a proper home with you and that is not where I am living now. My house has never been a home to me and it likely never will be, it doesn't hold any good memories for me. We can find somewhere that we both like the look of and we will make it a home, I'm 13 years too late but I will do this now that I have a chance to do so."

"Thank you."

"Muggle world or wizarding?"

"I have only ever lived in the muggle world other than at school. I don't know what it is like to live in a wizarding home."

"Same here child. Perhaps one adventure is enough and we stick with what we know in the muggle world, yes?" Harry shifted round on the bed so that he was curled up on the bed with his head still on his father's chest but so that he was looking up at the man. "That cannot be comfy." Harry shrugged indifferently so Snape sat up fully and shifted the boy so that he was curled up on his lap.

"I would've been alright."

"But you wouldn't have been comfy."

"I spent 11 years in a cupboard, it is rare I find a position that I can't manage anymore."

"Well you aren't in a cupboard anymore."

"Muggle world would be good Sev. I'd like that." Harry rested his head sideways onto the other's shoulder as he shut his eyes and imagined what it would be like to have his own bedroom.

"What are you thinking about?"

"A home." Snape smiled sadly down at the child and wished that Harry had had a proper home beforehand.

"I'll find us a few different places to look at while we are at school and then we can go have a look round them in the holidays, find one that we want to buy. Then we can hopefully have it completely set up come Summer."

"I'd like that Sev."

"Me too child. Me too."

"I'm sorry I never told you. Even if you didn't want me you deserved to know that you had a child, it shouldn't have only been because you were- because you were dying, that you found out."

"It doesn't matter. You're mine now, and I'm not letting you go again." Harry smiled into the man's neck as the arms around him tightened to prove the point.

"Thank you for saving me sir."

"You don't have to call me sir, and I should have done it sooner."

"I spent the 2 years I didn't know you calling you 'dad' and then 2 years I did calling you 'sir', it's a hard habit to break. I'm amazed I never mistakenly called you 'dad' in lesson, no doubt you and the other Slytherin's would not have let that go. Especially with you not knowing the truth."

"Unfortunately that would likely have been the case." The room slipped into silence until Harry tensed suddenly and sniffed quietly as he fought the tears that had formed. "What's wrong?" the man whispered when he noticed Harry fighting the urge to cry. When Harry shook his head in refusal to answer he repeated the question until the boy gave in and whispered his reply as to his thoughts.

"I'm sorry I'm not what you wanted." That was the last thing that Snape had expected to come from the child's mouth and his shock was clear to anyone who looked at him.

"Why would you think that?"

"You've always hated me, I'm sure that you would prefer any other student to be your child and you got stuck with the one that is a waste of space. I'm sorry I couldn't be what you want."

"You are mine, that is what I want. I don't hate you. I was shocked when I woke up and you were there next to my bed and I didn't show you that shock in a good way. You aren't a waste of space, you never could be, got it? Even if you were, you're my waste of space, understand? I cannot say that there is any student that I would prefer to have as my child, you are mine and you are perfect. Perhaps I would have liked you to be more proficient in potions but I can live without that being the case."

"I'll show you just how proficient I am if you want."

"I'd have no classroom left if I let you brew freely."

"Let me ask a question, think of all off the potions I've made. If they blew up, have any of them actually caused any harm or any damage? Have any of the explosions been anything more than just a flash of colour or smoke?" Snape thought back and realised that the child was right.

"You made yourself purposefully bad at potions but you did it safely. You create showy explosions rather than the dangerous messes that Longbottom makes. In a way that is more skilful than brewing correct potions in the first place. Why do you do that?"

"Because no one expects me to do well," Harry stated, not comprehending the man's confusion fully.

"So you make yourself seem worse than you are because people don't think you'll be good?"

"I'm expected to save the world. People see what they want to see, what they expect to see, that which they don't, I show to them. I show them that I am bad at potions because that is what they want me to be."

"So do I get to see the real you?"

"Perhaps," Harry said after some consideration, "but don't expect me to change how I act in potions lessons. People don't want to see 'Harry Potter' as good at potions, they expect him to be poor in that subject. Snape's son they would think to be good but since none of them know that connection I still couldn't act better in the subject. Even if it comes out that I am your son, then people will assume that I am better all of a sudden because of some sort of favouritism towards your spawn."

"You really don't think very much of yourself, do you?"

"I'm tiny so there is little of me to think about, but what I do think about, I don't like, no." Snape held Harry tighter as he heard these words. "I hope Poppy didn't hear that, she doesn't like me talking about myself like that."

"Nor do I child."

"Sorry," the teen whispered. "I just thought I'd talk to you, tell you things that Poppy won't but that she'll want to."

"Go ahead child. You can tell me anything."

"But- but you just said that you don't want me to talk like that?"

"I did. I guess what I mean is more that I don't want you to think of yourself like that, I don't want you to think yourself as worthless. You can talk to me about anything though. Please, what is it that you want to tell me? I will listen."

"It- it doesn't matter really. Just something stupid. Don't worry about it." Snape raised an eyebrow towards the boy. "I- like I said, I don't like myself, I hate myself and sometimes that hatred gets taken out on me. Poppy doesn't like me talking like that as she knows that either I have just hurt myself, or I want to and she knows that she can't really help me although she has never known what would help or what caused it in the first place. When I returned to the castle this year, and occasionally throughout the year, she has had to deal with my hatred for myself, among other things. That is why she says that I spend entirely too much time in the infirmary, because she has to see me so often because of my own hand."

"What would help? You said that Poppy doesn't know but would you tell me? What would help you when you want to hurt yourself?"

"It's sounds pathetic though."

"I really doubt that that is the case child." Harry chewed on his lip while he considered this statement.

"You."

"What?"

"I wanted... you. I wanted my dad. I wanted- I wanted to BE wanted."

"Yet you never said anything sooner. I would have been there for you had you said."

"I- yeah, sorry."

"I DO NOT WANT YOU TO SAY SORRY!" the Potions master snapped making Harry tense up as the arms were still around him and he couldn't move away.

"Y-yes sir," whimpered the teen who tried to protect himself with his arms as he began to shake with fear, instantly making the man feel guilty.

"I didn't mean to scare you child."

"Yes s-sir."

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

"Harry, do you know who I am?"

"Yes sir. Professor Snape sir. You're my father and I'm your failure."

"You're not my failure. You're my son. Relax child, calm down for me, okay?" Harry nodded slowly and rested a hand on Snape's chest, gradually matching his breathing to that of the potions master. As he did so his body lost tension and he curled tighter on himself as the shaking abated and he pressed into Snape who ran his hand through Harry's hair in silent comfort. The teen started to hum under his breath, the quiet tune and gentle vibrations allowing him to calm completely."I honestly didn't mean to scare you child. I meant what I said earlier, I would have been there for you had I known, I still will be there for you now if you need me. I don't want you to keep blaming yourself for not telling me sooner, that is why I want you not to apologise to me. Do you want to know something else?" Harry nodded hesitantly as if doing so would bring him trouble and even more pain. "You ARE wanted, so very, very much. Got it? So, if ever you want to hurt yourself again, I want you to remember that you are wanted and I want you to come talk to me."

"Yes sir."

"Am I to assume that was the response drilled into you when you were with your relatives?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied with a quick smirk sent at the man before ducking his head out of sight.

"Will you? Will you come and talk to me before you hurt yourself again?" Harry shrugged before shaking his head making Snape reign in his temper before he scared his son for a second time. "Why not?"

"It is mainly during the night, after curfew. I don't want you to get in trouble for me being with you when I should be in my dorm."

"I do not care about getting in trouble if it is a choice between that and your safety."

"But I do!"

"Sauvez-moi de son entêtement," Snape mumbled under his breath making Harry narrow his eyes at him. "I will not get in trouble."

"Parler de moi en français maintenant. Comment sais-tu ça?"

"Impressive. Where did you learn French? And I know, because even if other teachers do not, the headmaster knows there is some sort of connection between us and we could go to him to sort out any trouble that may befall on either of us. As long as he wishes me to remain in his staff, he will forgive you coming to see me at night. Alternatively, you seem to be quite capable of sneaking around the castle when you want to, I'm sure you would be able to not get caught."

"Encouraging me to sneak around now are you? I thought you were normally the one to endeavour to catch me all the time."

"I... was, hang on, all the times I have sent you back to your dormitory with a detention, were any of them times you were heading here, for Poppy to heal you?" Harry shrugged his shoulders, answering his question. "I see, how many times?"

"Not many. 2 or 3, possibly 4."

"And what do you do on those occasions?"

"I go back to my dorm like you tell me to."

"But you do not get your wounds treated, you know, even without knowing who you were to me, I would have taken you to the infirmary if you said."

"I know, but I didn't want to be a disappointment to you. Well, even more of a disappointment to you. I have bandages in my trunk, if you catch me and take me back, I bandage my arms up and let them heal the muggle way. Takes a bit longer to heal but I keep them clean and covered so they heal properly. The only difference is that the muggle way I end up with the scars remaining while Poppy gets rid of them when I come to her. It is about the pain, not the evidence of my pain so I don't care for the scars. The wizarding world would have a bit of a field day if they knew what I did to myself."

"At least you tended to them I suppose. You pull your sleeves up in potions, I've never seen any scars."

"Glamours on my wrists, other than there I cut where isn't visible to others. Hips, thighs, stomach. Facile."

"There's the French again."

"You started it."

"That I did. You never said, where did you learn?"

"We- there was a teacher at school, filling in while another was on maternity leave. She quickly realised that something was wrong with me and that I would prefer to stay indoors rather than play outside with the others and in her first few days she found out why. We weren't allowed to stay inside at break and lunchtime unless the weather was really bad. She was French and she decided that she would use that excuse to let me stay in the classroom with her. She was there for the whole school year so I had a lot of French lessons. When she left and the other teacher came back I continued to learn on my own time. It became my escape. 'Mione knows some from her Summers in France with her parents so she and I talk a little in French but I mainly use when I'm talking to myself, spilling my darkest thoughts, guess I'll have to watch that around you if you can understand."

"If you feel more comfortable talking about it in French, we can."

"I'd feel more comfortable if you couldn't understand me at all actually."

"Unfortunately, if you are coming to me to talk about it, which I hope that you will, I will have to be able to understand. Since, as far as I know, the only languages we have in common are French and English, they are the only options."

"D'accord, Français." Snape shifted down the bed slightly so he was reclined more, pulling Harry down with him. "If you are uncomfortable I can move."

"Not uncomfortable."

"Am I too heavy? I've been eating while I've been back at school and I have put on a couple of stone, I must be too heavy to sit on your lap, I am small I know but I am 13 so I can't be light enough to be sat on you, not for so long anyway."

"Hush child, you are perfectly fine sat there. I brought you onto my lap myself, didn't I?" Harry nodded slowly and began to tense up in his disbelief until he felt a kiss being pressed into his hair. "I promise you, you are not heavy, you are completely fine sat on my lap and I do not intend on letting you go so soon."

"Good, because you're comfy."


End file.
